


Doormat

by clgfanfic



Category: War of the Worlds (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-20
Updated: 2013-02-20
Packaged: 2017-11-29 23:20:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/692688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All is not what it seems</p>
            </blockquote>





	Doormat

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Green Floating Weirdness #8 under the pen name Laura Brush.

_"We need things like this, too."_

 

          Debi bounded down the stairs and ran into the living room.  Despite the fact that it was two days past Halloween, the room was decked out in cobwebs, black and orange streamers and an assortment of paper witches, ghouls and goblins.

          Harrison, dressed up like Count Dracula, was setting out the rest of the cookies and other delights Mrs. Pennyworth had baked for the small party.  After all, there was no reason why Debi should miss all the fun just because she was stuck at the Cottage.  They had been in New Jersey when her classmates had celebrated the holiday at school, so Suzanne decided they owed her daughter some kind of party.  Harrison agreed.

          "Harrison, is the Colonel back?"

          "Not yet, Debi," he said, smiling.  She did look cute in the commando outfit.  Suzanne hadn't been exactly enthusiastic about her daughter's costume choice, but she'd gone along.

          Norton rolled into the living room.  The cardboard box he wore over Gertrude was painted to look like a hole in the ground, and the hacker lounged on it, munching a carrot.  "Hey, what's up, Doc?"  He shook his head, waggling his rabbit ears.

          "Wow, Norton, that's great!" Debi said, depositing the bag she'd carried down on the couch and heading over to check out the outfit.

          "I thought so," he said with a smile, then added, "Rambette."

          Suzanne swept into the room.

          "Mom?"

          The microbiologist smiled.  "Like it?" she asked.

          "I certainly do," Harrison said in his best Transylvanian accent.  He licked his fangs.

          Suzanne blushed, and ducked behind her fan.  "Why, sir, I never," she drawled in a passable Southern accent.

          "What's up, Miss Scarlet?" Norton asked.

          Suzanne giggled.  "That's really great, Norton.  Is the Colonel back?"

          "Not yet," Debi said, settling the web belt on her hips like she'd seen the colonel do before heading for the bag.  "I'm going to put out the mat and light the pumpkins, okay?"

          "Sure, Chicken," Suzanne said, sweeping over to pour herself a cup of coffee and snag a ginger cookie before Harrison devoured them all.

          When Debi was gone, she looked at the two men.  "Thank you.  This means a lot to Deb."

"Our pleasure," Norton said with a grin.  He wiggled his whiskered nose and she laughed.

          "We need things like this, too," Harrison said, swinging his cape up and delivering his best evil laugh.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Debi charged out the front door and scanned the driveway for the colonel.  There was no sign of the Bronco.  She knew he'd gone to pick up a piñata for the party.  She wasn't supposed to know that, but it was hard not to overhear things.  Lots of things…

          She laid the ghoul-faced doormat down, then stepped over it and went about carefully lighting the small votive candles sitting in each of the carved pumpkins.  Each of the Cottage's adults had helped her carve one.  Each had their own secrets about how to perform the task, too, except the Colonel.  When she'd asked him to help her carve a pumpkin he'd just looked surprised.  Still, she liked that one best.  Once he'd figured out what they were doing it had been fun and the pirate-face was the most interesting.

          With all the pumpkins burning, she headed back inside, leaping over the doormat, slamming the door shut and running back down the hall.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Ironhorse parked the Bronco and climbed out.  Walking around to the back of the truck, he opened it and pulled out the burro piñata.  Debi would like it, he was sure.

          He looked at the Cottage.  Okay, so the civilians weren't as bad as he'd expected, and Debi was a sweet kid.  He frowned.  He still had to get his costume on, and if anyone said anything…

          He headed for the door.  The pumpkins were arranged around the entrance, their faces all shining.  He smiled.  The one he and Debi had carved was definitely the best.

          He reached for the doorknob, his cowboy-boot-clad foot coming down squarely on the doormat's ghoul face.

          A bloodcurdling scream rent the air.

          The burro hit the ground and Ironhorse dove for the nearest cover, the short hedge that ran along the front of the Cottage.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "There's the Colonel," Debi said, standing and charging from the room.

          The three Project members followed.

          "What was _that?_ " Suzanne asked as they reached the door.

          "My screaming doormat," Debi said, pulling the door open.  "Colonel?" she called, stepping out over the mat and picking up the abandoned piñata.

          Harrison and Suzanne stepped out next, careful to avoid the trap.  Norton rolled up to the doorway, Mrs. Pennyworth and Mr. Kensington crowding in behind him in their Raggedly Ann and Andy costumes.  They all watched as Ironhorse climbed out of the hedge.

          "Problem, Colonel?" Harrison asked, grinning.

          Debi blushed a deep red when she realized what had happened.  "I'm sorry," she apologized.  "I guess I should have waited to put the screaming doormat down, huh?"

          Ironhorse brushed the leaves off his shirt.  "Probably."

          "At least he didn't bite it, Debi," Harrison said, giving the soldier a friendly pat on the shoulder.

          The colonel glowered at the scientist as Blackwood pulled several pieces of flora out of his disheveled black hair.

          "You're my hero, Colonel."

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          "You call this a party?" Ironhorse asked, stalking into the living room.

          Debi was seated on the couch, looking guilty.  The blonde head snapped up and a huge smile chased the unhappy frown away.  "Coolest!" she said, taking in the swashbuckling pirate's costume.  She bounced off the couch and gave the soldier a hug.  "I really am sorry," she said softly.

          "That's okay," he told her, "keeps me on my toes.  So, is this a party or what?"

          Norton rolled over to the tape player and pressed play.  _The Monster Mash_ echoed through the living room.

          Scarlet accepted a dance from the Count, and Ann and Andy were happy to watch.  Bugs drummed out a counter-rhythm with his carrot sticks.  The handsome pirate bowed gallantly to the small commando, who accepted with a clumsy curtsey…


End file.
